By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 8, 2024: The Orissa High Court on Thursday admitted a petition filed by Saroj Kumar Meher, challenging the election of Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo from Patnagarh constituency in 2024 assembly election.

Meher, who contested from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), lost the election to Singh Deo in a short margin of 1357 votes as he ot 92,466 votes whereas Singh Deo got 93,823 votes.

Meher has filed the election petition under the provisions of Sections 80 to 84 and Section 100 of the Representation of People Act praying to declare the election of the returned candidate as void on the ground of improper acceptance of his nomination papers by the Returning Officer, despite of non-compliance with the provisions of the RP Act as well as the rules and orders made under the Act.

He also questioned the election on the ground of non-furnishing of the original affidavits with each sets of nomination papers at the time of presentation of the same in compliance with Form 26 under Rule 4-A of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 and for non-furnishing the detailed and correct particulars of his movable and immovable assets and the correct values thereof at that time.

He also doubted the acceptability of the nomination paper for non-disclosure of all the criminal cases pending against him along with the correct position/status thereof and non-disclosure of the correct amount of his bank accounts and false declaration of his income tax returns of the last five years in the Form 26 under Rule 4-A of Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.

The Single Bench of Justice Ananda Chandra Behera noted that the petition has been filed within the limitation period duly complying with the relevant provisions of the Act.

Accordingly, it directed the Registry to issue notice to Singh Deo and fixed the matter to August 30 for filing of written submission and settlement of issues.